Contents
Elderflower: The Miracle Plant and How to Make Homemade Lemonade
Elderflower is a miracle plant with many beneficial uses. It has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, such as colds and flu. It is also known for its pleasant aroma and flavor, making it great for making homemade teas, syrups, and even lemonade. To ensure the best flavor and most beneficial properties, proper drying is key. Below, you will find a recipe for homemade lemonade using Elderflower.
For more information on the benefits of Elderflower, please visit Organic Facts.
Elderflower has been used in traditional medicine in various cultures since ancient times and is literally healing from head to toe. Every part of it can help us with something different. The main reason why elderflowers are so popular is because of its antiseptic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, we must not forget that the white flowers can also be used in the kitchen, either as juice or fried as gooseberries. Take a closer look at the elderflower in today’s article, where we also show you a simple recipe for homemade elderflower lemonade.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t grow elderflowers in your garden, because it you really can find it on almost every corner. Just choose a flower that is not right next to the road and you can start discovering its healing properties. Traditionally, it is used in detoxification, asthma, allergies, but also in the kitchen in making homemade juices.
What to use the different parts of elderberry for?
Fruits can be enjoyed by children, but sometimes also by adults, mistaken for blackcurrants, but they are almost completely dissimilar in taste. Interestingly, however, the fresh fruit has laxative effects and the dried fruit is used to treat diarrhoea. The same is true of blueberries. But beware, raw berries are poisonous, or rather, the pips, so they need to elderberries have undergone a heat treatment.
Best use of the fruit is in the production of liqueurs dark purple in colour with an excellent flavour. The berries are also used to produce homemade jams, compotes, syrups or preserves. A large selection of Preserving jars can be found directly in our e-shop.
Elderberries are also used in treatment of various health problems, such as migraine, toothache, constipation, spinal pain, boosting immunity and the like. It is taken in the form of processed poultices of 2-4 tablespoons per day, but no longer than 2 weeks. Then this natural remedy would do us more harm than good.
Flowers
Elderflowers have even more uses in the kitchen than the fruit itself. The flowers are dried to make tea blends, or made into elderberry juice, elderberry lemonade or cosmatice. Do you even know what it is? A cosmatica is an elderflower wrapped in a thin batter and fried in in a frying pan. The advantage is that you can eat it both sweet and salty. It is up to you.
Every household should also be equipped with dried elderflowers. Their miraculous effects can help in various situations such as colds, fever, flu, urinary tract inflammation and so on.
Of course, the best thing you can make from the flower is elderberry lemonade, which you make with ice in the summer to in a big tray and put it in your garden so you can freshen up whenever you want. The recipe for it can be found below.
Elder leaves
Most people always reach for the elder flower or fruit. However, even the leaves have miraculous effects. They are used either fresh or freshly steamed in hot water. Fresh leaf juice works as a repellent or the leaves are used to treat acne, cleanse the blood and externally for burns.
Collecting elderberry and its proper drying
Flowers and leaves We pick in May and June, preferably around noon, and always take gloves and shears for picking. We dry the flowers essentially in an airy room without access to direct light. The flower must not turn brown and must remain bright.
In late summer and early autumn we collect elderberrieswhich we dry quickly at an artificial temperature of 40 °C.
Recipe for homemade elderflower lemonade
Ingredients
- 12 open elderflowers collected in sunny weather
- 4.5 litres of water
- 700 g sugar
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of cider or wine vinegar
Procedure
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Put the sugar in a clean container, add boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Wait until the water has cooled. Then add lemon juice, elderflower and apple cider (or wine vinegar).
- Cover the container and let the drink infuse for 24 hours.
- Strain the resulting mixture and leave for another 14 days.
- Serve the lemonade chilled, you can add ice cubes to it.
Have a nice day.
What is Elderflower?
Elderflower is a flowering plant in the Adoxaceae family and is native to Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. It is often used to make teas, syrups, and other products. Its flowers have a sweet, delicate flavor and aroma.
How do you properly dry Elderflower?
Drying Elderflower is easy and can be done in a few simple steps. First, collect the flowers from the Elderflower bush and remove any debris or insects. Then, spread the flowers on a tray or baking sheet and place in a warm, dry area. Let the flowers dry for 2-3 days, stirring occasionally. Once dry, store the flowers in an airtight container.
What is a recipe for homemade Elderflower lemonade?
Ingredients:
– 2/3 cup dried Elderflower
– 1/2 cup sugar
– 4 cups water
– 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water and sugar to a boil.
2. Add the dried Elderflower and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture into a large pitcher and discard the Elderflower.
5. Add the remaining 3 cups of water, lemon juice, and honey.
6. Stir until the honey is dissolved.
7. Serve over ice and enjoy!
For more information on Elderflower, please visit The Spruce Eats.
Advantages of Elderflower
- Rich in antioxidants and vitamins
- Natural remedy for cold and flu symptoms
- Improves digestion and boosts immunity
- Can be used as a natural sweetener
- Helps reduce inflammation
- Proper drying ensures maximum potency
- Easy to make homemade lemonade with elderflower
Elderflower is a miracle plant that can be used to make a delicious homemade lemonade. To make the most of this miracle plant, it’s important to properly dry it. To do this, simply hang the flowers upside down in a dark, dry place until they are completely dry. Once dried, you can use the flowers to make a delicious homemade lemonade. Try it today and experience the deliciousness of Elderflower!
